Literacy In Women's Prisons

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Transcript of Literacy In Women's Prisons

Women's Prison Book Project LogoA friend introduced me to the Women's Prison Book ProjectI've never known anyone in prisonI wanted to learn more about a topic that I would not normally have been interested inI've always taken literacy for grantedMental health is an important topic to meInterest in Literacy & Mental Illness in Women's PrisonsActionI volunteered 3 hours on Sundays on 6 separate weekendsI've volunteered a total of 24 hoursPlace of volunteer is Boneshaker Books, the home of the Women's Prison Book ProjectExample Letter ReceivedFirst, we pick a letter from the top of the stack. This letter is from Aliceville, Alabama.Introduction VideoLuci CamoraniLiteracy In Women's PrisonsCheck Restrictions ListSome prisons have extensive restrictions on the books we can send. Fortunately, the "Okay" means that there currently are none.Book Hunt ContinuedI end up picking up a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul. Not only does it have a self-help aspect, but they are also all real stories from many people. I hope she'll like it!Packing Process ContinuedHere's what a pile of packages look like so far:

Book Hunt continuedUnfortunately, no book on rocks, gems, or minerals can be found. Instead, I go for the next most specific request, a Spanish-English dictionary.Done for now...We'll grab a rubber band to bind the books together and put the letter on top so we can later identify who requested the books.Book #2Blink by Malcolm Gladwell is a popular psychology book, so I pick it up. Only one more to go, and I think I'll round up this order with a self-help book.Read the letterNotice the date on the letter- January 29th! This letter request was filled out and mailed on May 18th. We're really backlogged with requests!We have a pretty large section on languages, and fortunately I was able to find a nice copy in about a minute!Let's Fill Out More Requests!Packing Process ContinuedDon't forget to keep the envelope so you have the recipient's name!Pack the books in the plastic sleevePlace a new order form in the sleeveTape it up! Don't be afraid to use a lot!Mailing address stickers have already been created for all of the women, find this and place in the centerPlace a return address sticker on the packageWrite "Media Mail" on the package, this reduces shipping costs

Packing ProcessFirst, we transfer all of the mailing boxes to the meeting roomThen, chairs are assembled with a roll of tape at every seatThere are plenty of plastic packing sleevesTake the rubber bands off of the books.

Mail Time!Once all of the requests for the week are fulfilled, we can take a walk to the meeting room where we begin the mailing procedure.

See any books you like? :)

Start Filling Out RequestsAfter reading the letter, we define the genre of books the woman may be interested in:

Due to the specificity of the last request, let's take a look to see if we can find any book about rocks, gems, or minerals.

Packing Process ContinuedLucky you, the packing process is done! The head volunteers of the Women's Prison Book Project will weigh the individual parcels, print out stamps with the total cost, and drive them to the postage office to mail. Well done!

Some prisons require a written receipt of the books sent. Let's see if Aliceville, Alabama requires a receipt.Interview with Heidi HeiseSo what?An investment in literacy is an investment in our country's futureWhen a woman is literate, she is much more able to contribute positively to her communityIn addition, she will be able to pass that skill along to her childrenIf we want to lower the recidivism rate, literacy is one of the methods we can use.